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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28434273">Past Christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsSchneeheide/pseuds/MsSchneeheide'>MsSchneeheide</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Orange is the New Black</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:22:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>13,860</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28434273</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsSchneeheide/pseuds/MsSchneeheide</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens in the village of Saint Nick when Christmas's passed? Set a year after "A Merry Little Christmas Crime".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Joe Caputo/Natalie "Fig" Figueroa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. December 25th-27th</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>We are in Litsifjöld, same setting as in "A Merry Little Christmas Crime", one year after. Basically it's Litchfield as the village of Santa Claus, with Mr Caputo as Saint Nick and many of our inmates and COs as his elves.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was just after midnight in the village.</p>
<p>Right and left, some of the world was asleep, and some was awake.</p>
<p>In London and Greenwich it was past ten in the evening of the 25th of December.</p>
<p>Christmas Day was over in about half the globe: On the Pacific island of Tuvalu people were enjoying a late breakfast or already going on about their day, basking in the nice temperatures, as were their distant neighbors of Nauru, Kiribati, Wallis and Futuna. The early birds were stirring in Australia, Korea and China, while most in the vast expanse of Russia and Asia were snoring and dreaming, safe from the cold inside their homes.</p>
<p>Part of Europe was still up, and part was resting, just like ol' Africa; and the Azores and Cabo Verde were enjoying their evening.</p>
<p>And then America: there, the day's celebrations were in full swing. North and South were mostly gathered around a table eating turkeys or buñuelos, soaking up the warmth of a fireplace or fanning themselves against the heat of the austral summer.</p>
<p>Even for the few ships around Honolulu in UTC -12:00, Christmas Day had well begun.</p>
<p>But in Litsifjöld, the village of Saint Nick, it was just past midnight: and Christmas Day was gone.</p>
<p>A feeling of accomplishment still warmed the hearts of the elves.</p>
<p>This year there had been no serious complications or setbacks, only the usual petty mischief from their grumpy foes Scrooge, the Grinch &amp; friends. No news from Linda. No real drama.</p>
<p>The preparations had proceeded smoothly, and the Day itself had gone well, stretching long like Santa's flight from east to west.</p>
<p>Much work had been done.</p>
<p>Many wishes had been granted.</p>
<p>After their busy final sprint, all of Litsifjöld had celebrated in their special way, together, with toasts, smiles and cheers under a friendly sky.</p>
<p>Soon would come a sense of anticlimax, after some rest and a lot of tidying-up. The following months would appear like an almost endless waste land, a sea with no horizon in sight. The feeling was already lurking, maybe.</p>
<p>But for now, there was still the 31st to look forward to, and all was warm and well.</p>
<p>Yes, it had been a good year.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Yeah.</p>
<p>Much work had been done.</p>
<p>Many wishes had been granted.</p>
<p>Many. But not all.</p>
<p>It was ironic, a bit funny even, Mr C. thought lying in his bed that night, a lightly snoring Fig beside him. As Santa he made so many people happy, yet that one wish she had, that one wish<em> he</em> had, he could not make come true. And not for a lack of trying.</p>
<p>He loved his job, he loved their elves, he loved her… yet, especially at times like this, that little thought still stung.</p>
<p>But he would not bring it up with her again; they had done what they could, no use in more sad talks. No matter how much magic one had, evidently, some things just weren't meant to be.</p>
<p>Fig mumbled something.</p>
<p>He got closer, wrapped an arm around her, and she clutched at it possessively in her sleep, bringing it to rest on her heart.</p>
<p>He closed his eyes, and fell asleep.</p>
<hr/>
<p>She waited a little more, silent.</p>
<p>The blanket was warm and the dog smell strong and nice.</p>
<p>She lifted it a bit, stood up to reach the wooden edge and looked one way and the other. No one. She was really alone.</p>
<p>The night was dark, but the moon showed her the place. She climbed down, bringing the blanket with her. Got to a window: Outside was a forest covered in snow, few tiny lights coming from some trees. She yawned; the excitement from before hadn't all gone, but the late hour was starting to weigh on her eyelids.</p>
<p>She blinked, looked around again. There was a pile of straw on one side: She walked towards it and lay down, covering herself with the woolen thing.</p>
<p>She fell asleep.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Get up, it's time. And you!" she turned imperious to the elf tiptoeing in the corridor, trying to get past the door undetected. "Move!"</p>
<p>"Wha… bu…" the younger redhead reached half blindly for the covers, while the squirrely woman outside quickly disappeared. "Mooom!"</p>
<p>Red opened the window wide. The cold air of a beautiful sunny frosty morning got in. A pained "No!" came from Nicky, who was trying to pull the handmade quilt back on herself. To no avail. It was being held onto by a steely grip and will.</p>
<p>"It's half past eight," Red threatened.</p>
<p>Curled up in a ball, Nicky whimpered.</p>
<p>"You have five minutes."</p>
<p>Exit Red.</p>
<p>Nicky tried to get smaller on the flannel sheets, knees against her chest… but no, really. Her bedware had left the room with the other woman. The window was still open. No way she could resist even<em> one</em> single minute.</p>
<p>Chattering teeth, rubbing her arms, she got up.</p>
<p>The quilt had been dropped on the floor a little way from her room; she put it on like a cape and dragged her slippers on, entering the common area with a large yawn.</p>
<p>She scratched her head, which just got even bushier, and took it all in.</p>
<p>The whole house was up and about.</p>
<p>The Canteen ladies were gathered around a table deep in conversation, no doubt about the New Year's Eve menu, with Red and Norma carrying most of the exchange, and Anita and Gina nodding at appropriate intervals.</p>
<p>Pennsatucky and Boo had met by the threshold, one leaving, the other coming in with their youngest dog, and talked for a moment; then split and each went her own way.</p>
<p>Even Irma and Taslitz, who were mostly retired, were busy, one pouring a hot liquid into a big thermos for a waiting Frieda in full outdoorsy attire, the other sharpening a metallic tool which - no, she didn't wanna know why.</p>
<p>"Wow," Nicky mumbled, falling on a stool.</p>
<p>Then, a steaming mug appeared in front of her. She grabbed on to it immediately like a lifeline.</p>
<p>"Good morning." And then, her favorite face.</p>
<p>"Heeey!" she took her hand and kissed it. "You're my savior." Then gulped down the beverage.</p>
<p>Shani smiled.</p>
<p>She had got up long ago, left Nicky in dreamland and started on breakfast.</p>
<p>"Luschek passed by to call you," she informed her girlfriend.</p>
<p>"Wha… so early?"</p>
<p>"M-mh."</p>
<p>Fudge. Since that new elf Donaldson had arrived at Maintenance, her supervisor had felt the need to look more hardworking, and things had started being distinctly less fun.</p>
<p>Fine, she sighed. After all, the past was in the past and tomorrow would be another day. And tomorrow was today.</p>
<p>The 26th of December had always been a time for lazing around for most elficbody, slowly digesting all the delicacies and emotions of the previous day, whereas on the 27th, today, a new flurry of activity began, be it for wrapping Christmasy things up, or for prepping for the end of the year.</p>
<p>"Alright," she slapped her thighs and stood up, leaning towards Shani for a peck. "I'mma get dressed."</p>
<p>And off she went.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Scott O'Neill was worried.</p>
<p>His son, King, had gone without pooping for three days now. His little (kinda) tummy was aching, his adorable chubby face would get all red and crumpled up, he'd kick and cry but for all these efforts, not one small pebble of poop would come out of his bottom.</p>
<p>They'd not thought much of it first. What were 24 hours with no poo, right? It has seemed like a Christmas gift. Then yesterday they'd started trying the tricks they knew of. But nothing.</p>
<p>And today… today, they were ready for just about anything.</p>
<p>Wanda was specially nervous too, lashing out at his attempts to be useful, or at least positive.</p>
<p>At the moment he was trudging on the snowy path all bundled up in a coat, pointy ears flinching against the cold (in his haste he'd forgotten to put on a beanie), headed to the Pharmacy.</p>
<p>It was not great.</p>
<p>Moreover, he was feeling a tad guilty because of something to do with work.</p>
<p>Last night he'd been looking for Archie, King's beloved stuffed fish, when a yellow envelope had fallen out of the buggy. It was addressed to Santa in poor spelling, surely a child's; though the sender was unreadable, there was a big stain that smelled suspiciously like King's apple and cinnamon yogurt on it - only a scrawl was left, perhaps a "V".</p>
<p>But the thing was, he didn't remember any letter in that color and hand.</p>
<p>Because they had a system at Litsifjöld Post Office, and he got the yellow, orange, red and brown (...yes, really) missives while Bennett handled the pink, purple and blue ones and Artesian all greens, whites, and blacks (that happened, too). And for the life of him he couldn't remember that canary. Meaning that a letter might have gone lost; and in that case, an unlucky kid somewhere had had a pretty lousy Christmas.</p>
<p>He huffed, hurrying and half slipping.</p>
<p>He'd really have to stop by the Office to check among his letters.</p>
<p>Later.</p>
<p>'Cause now, the priority was to ask Frieda or Norma or elfever would be at the Garden and Pharmacy for advice. Their musks and barks had helped him more than once when he'd had a chestnut too many, or a dozen: hopefully they could help King too.</p>
<hr/>
<p>At the Post Office, Scott's colleagues Bennett and Artesian were cleaning up.</p>
<p>It was a typical after-Christmas activity, and vital, for weeks of compulsive cookie eating and excessive ginger ale drinking to sustain their frenzied work always took their toll on the Office. Now clues were popping up here and there, crumbs revealed by a sweep of a broom under some shelving, a long-empty mug rolling out from behind the woodstove.</p>
<p>"Eww! Is that…" wide-eyed, Artesian pointed to a corner, "a diaper?"</p>
<p>"Mh?" Bennett craned his neck, then stirred the heap of paper with his broom. "...Yep."</p>
<p>She shook her head disgusted. So <em>that</em> was the source of that foul smell these last days, not her barbaric colleagues. It must have been there since O'Neill had come to work with his kid, on the 23rd. Ugh.</p>
<p>Bennett was still regarding the thing with a pensive, almost fond expression. Oh, please. "Make it go away."</p>
<p>He started; "Oh, OK," and opened the door of the stove.</p>
<p>For another bit they would be left alone, then letters to Saint Nick would start coming in again: thank-you letters, those were the easy ones, and complaints about wrong presents, those were a hassle 'cause they needed to be checked and possibly answered to, with facts.</p>
<p>The Workshop might have some new orders to fulfil as fast as possible then.</p>
<p>But for now, the elves there were just doing inventory.</p>
<p>"You sure you'll be fine nena?" Gloria asked for the third time, frowning at the other elf's still fairly insignificant belly.</p>
<p>"Claro, Gloria! It's counting kites, and they don't even weigh nothin'," Blanca reassured.</p>
<p>"And I'll keep an eye on her," Zirconia repeated.</p>
<p>"Mh. I'll check on you soon," their boss nodded, still unhappy.</p>
<p>Blanca and Karla exchanged a glance, then the former left with her colleague, and the other one went on. There was much to take in.</p>
<p>"The Maintenance crew should come tomorrow, so we gotta have at least some machines clean for them to check and…" Gloria's head whiplashed back, "<em>Oye you two</em>!" she hissed, striding towards the young elves so fast it was hard to keep up.</p>
<p>Flaca and Maritza were cooing over three-month-old Pepa, safe in her mother's embrace.</p>
<p>"Why are you still here doin' nothing?" she whisper-shouted menacing.</p>
<p>"Well, we just met Maria and…" Maritza started.</p>
<p>"I told you what to do twenty minutes ago," Gloria growled, her pinkie scratching lightly under a very happy baby's chin.</p>
<p>"What? You said you were on a break!" Maria interrupted.</p>
<p>Flaca had the decency to look a bit guilty, Maritza just shrugged.</p>
<p>"OK girls, it's better if you go now," Karla intervened. Gloria was fuming.</p>
<p>"But…"</p>
<p>"GO!" Gloria was now reaching boiling point. Pepa was very amused.</p>
<p>"Yeah, OK, we're going!" Maritza exclaimed.</p>
<p>"Bye little Pepa and Maria," Flaca said, "Bye," Maritza pouted, "come see our leftover dolls soon!" And she was dragged from her elbow by her tall friend, away from the fiery eyes of their boss.</p>
<p>"Hmph," Gloria's nostrils gradually started flaring less, as Pepa continued showing her appreciation for having her stock-clad minuscole feet played with. "They'll be the death of me."</p>
<p>"I know," Maria nodded.</p>
<p>"Sorry for that," Gloria continued. "Did you two come to visit?" she made a face at the baby, who kinda laughed.</p>
<p>"We passed by to say hola."</p>
<p>"Mh."</p>
<p>And after saying hola and more, but not much later, Maria and her daughter said their goodbyes.</p>
<p>Gloria went on about her rounds of the Workshop, managing elficbody, giving directions, offering advice or barking orders. Karla kept by her side.</p>
<p>They passed by Teddy Bears &amp; Other Stuffed Animals, the Dolls Subdivision (where, incredibly enough, Flaritza were actually putting in a good effort), Kites &amp; Other Flying Object (Blanca was doing fine,<em> really</em>, thanks), and all the other branches up to Balls &amp; More Basic Sports Equipment, where Janae and Cindy kept busy and loud, but instantly fell silent when Gloria and Karla appeared.</p>
<p>"Everythin' fine here, girls?" Gloria asked.</p>
<p>Cindy looked at Janae. "Yeah, just countin' and tidying up," she confirmed.</p>
<p>"Mh."</p>
<p>Watson went on with her job, giving a dirty look Karla's way, who read it no problem: it was utter disapproval against a traitor, a union official comrade who'd jumped the fence and joined the masters.</p>
<p>Karla sighed. Janae could be so stubborn.</p>
<p>Oh well, luckily it'd only last a few days, just the time for her to substitute for Gloria while she was too busy butting heads with… er, helping Red at the Canteen for their New Year's Eve banquet.</p>
<hr/>
<p>At the Canteen, of course, stock also had to be taken, food measured, weighed, and counted, lists compiled and compared with the ingredients for the tentative menu Red had written down.</p>
<p>There should be enough flour, poultry, potatoes, veggies, apples, eggs, milk, honey, jam and spices for her dishes, savory and sweet. And for Gloria's, well, it was her business.</p>
<p>Gina was in the kitchen fixing some loose pot and pan handles, and Anita was already polishing the cutlery.</p>
<p>Red and Norma, her most trusted colleague, had just left the pantry.</p>
<p>On a shelf rested the <em>pryaniki </em>Shani had tried to make with Red as a surprise. Nicky adored the spice cookies, they were easy and cheap and could last for days, so they were perfect for a newbie.</p>
<p>The Russian matriarch had been encouraging. She had ended up liking this Egyptian elf, who was good for Nicky.</p>
<p>The <em>pryaniki</em> looked good too, and already were (she'd sampled one), but would acquire their full flavor tomorrow or the following day and shine with some hot tea at home and nice company. She smiled.</p>
<p>They would, yes.</p>
<p>So, really, what a pity that the intended recipient didn't get the chance to taste them in the end.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>December 28th</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oooh.</p>
<p>It was so big!</p>
<p>So many shelves. Rows of them. And bags! And boxes. And the baskets! And the bottles, transparent and yellow, green and blue; and pink; and dark. And the jars! Those were pickles. Ew. And… back there, what was that, jam? The lid was tight, urgh… yes. Ooh, yummie! Mmh.</p>
<p>And under that cloth? Ah… smell like, like… good! <em>Chomp</em>. Yes, honey! Good cookies. <em>Chomp</em>.</p>
<p><em>Chomp</em>… oh.</p>
<p>What…</p>
<p>A voice. And steps, people! No…</p>
<p><em>Clang</em>.</p>
<p>The tray fell. But the cookies…</p>
<p>Steps.</p>
<p>No, the pockets were too small!</p>
<p>What?</p>
<p>Good, the cloth was big enough for all the others. Yess! It also fit inside the jacket, that used to belong to Fatty Fiona.</p>
<p>Steps!</p>
<p>Oh, the small window was high from here, with no broken chairs like outside to climb on.</p>
<p>...But there was the shelf near it! OK.</p>
<p>Just a bit more… yes! Bye-bye food place.</p>
<hr/>
<p><em>Content</em>:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dandelion</p>
<p>Peppermint</p>
<p>Psyllium husk</p>
<p>Rhubarb</p>
<p>Slippery elm bark</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><em>Procedure</em>:</p>
<p>A spoonful in a cup of barely boiling water. Cover with a lid. Let it steep for 4-6 minutes, then strain. No sweetening! Give three times a day to have 'em poop like a King.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It had been twice yesterday, and once this morning.</p>
<p>So far there had been no tangible results. Not visible, or… smellable ones, no; but audible, sort of.</p>
<p>All kinds of sounds had started to come from the baby's mouth and central-nether regions - meaning, he'd been burping and farting and his stomach had been rumbling like crazy. Signs to be expected and welcomed, Norma assured.</p>
<p>Scott had just been at the Pharmacy by the Garden again, where his mind had been put to rest by the elf's calming face, then he got back to Wanda with the good news: It was only a matter of waiting for the herbal concoction to work its magic.</p>
<p>Now he could stop by the Office for that other business.</p>
<p><em>Dling</em>, the bell on the door jingled.</p>
<p>"Hey!"</p>
<p>"Good morning!"</p>
<p>"Hi."</p>
<p>The three colleagues greeted each other.</p>
<p>"Whatcha doing here, elf?" Bennett asked jovially, then looked at the other's face more closely. "Hey… did the little one lay his golden egg yet?"</p>
<p>Artesian's nose wrinkled.</p>
<p>Scott smiled. "Soon! Signs are favorable."</p>
<p>"Good!"</p>
<p>The female elf tried to shut them out while they discussed in detail those wondrous signs, and went on with her task. They were now occupied with their color-coded letter filing, which had been disrupted in the last busy weeks; she was on shades of gray.</p>
<p>Bennett decided to put on a kettle, and Scott started rearranging his yellow section with great care.</p>
<p>Much later, Bennett had finished his pinks and O'Neill had volunteered for their common letters-with-no-envelope section, though looking less happy than when he'd come in.</p>
<p>Well, no one told him to do that, why that face? They could have just left it for last as usual, and split the dreaded job.</p>
<p>She went on with her darker shades.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Let's recap."</p>
<p>"A'right."</p>
<p>Taystee and Tamika had been doing that for hours now, but additional elements always came up.</p>
<p>Underestimating the preparations for the 31st would be a serious mistake, and though they'd become experts and partying was an ability innate in the elfic species anyway, every year there was something new.</p>
<p>"First: food." That was central. "Red and her staff are on it. Then Gloria and Aleida." Nothing new there.</p>
<p>"We'll need to check for casualties, like, at least twice a day."</p>
<p>Taystee sighed. "It's my turn."</p>
<p>"Yes girl! Have fuuun."</p>
<p>Pfft. Anyways.</p>
<p>"Tucky and Shani for drinks."</p>
<p>"Right."</p>
<p>"Shani's new, we gotta make her feel extra supported."</p>
<p>Tamika wrote down something. "Supported, 'kay."</p>
<p>Another thing checked off the list.</p>
<p>"Then: the venue."</p>
<p>"Aye."</p>
<p>"Daya's helping the school kids and teachers with decorations this year, they gotta be super special."</p>
<p>Tamika looked up. "Yeah, but she's new too. We should see she hits it off with Berdie and Mr Elmer."</p>
<p>Taystee nodded, and took a note. "Right."</p>
<p>The two paused, then glanced at each other. "And then…"</p>
<p>"Aand then…"</p>
<p>"...the entertainment!"</p>
<p>"Yuuuh!"</p>
<p>"Yay."</p>
<p>Taystee clapped her hands, leaning forward. "So, this is gonna be awesome. Gina and Sister Ingalls will do games, they don't need no help, and music…"</p>
<p>"...yeees?" Tamika egged her on.</p>
<p>"...will be brought to you elfickind by the talented, marvellous, legendary JaSTaCaP quintet!"</p>
<p>Pause for effect.</p>
<p>"You gotta say it like 'just a cup'," she explained.</p>
<p>Another pause. Tamika eyed her.</p>
<p>"Hey... you come up with somethin' better and we'll take it," Taystee waved it off. They had tried every possible combination with their names, Janae, Suzanne, Cindy, Poussey and herself, but so far this was what they'd got, even having to borrow a few a's for the conjunction "and" because of a serious lack of vowels. And it was good that Tamika couldn't sing, for what would they do with another "T"?</p>
<p>"Fine," she conceded. "...You're still gonna rock it!"</p>
<p>"Yep!" They high-fived happy, Taystee did a little seated dance with flailing limbs, and her friend sunk in the old couch and put her feet on the desk, arms folded behind her back.</p>
<p>Nice.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>December 29th</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taystee and Tamika enjoyed their well-laid-out plans for many hours, an afternoon and evening and a whole night, before Fig… er, Miss Figueroa came into the office on the following morning in a foul mood and almost made them fall out of their seats, demanding a thorough yet concise report on the proceedings while going on to Mr C's room in a furious clicking of heels.</p>
<p>"Joe, <em>you</em> go and sort it out," she was heard saying. "I can't have those crazy elves make peace without losing my hat bells."</p>
<p>Uh-oh.</p>
<p>Just as expected.</p>
<p>There was only one possible interpretation to these words: The Battle of the Banquet had begun.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Red was fuming. Gloria was blazing.</p>
<p>Sparks and bad words were flying at the Canteen and, were it not for their friends holding them back, something heavier might have too.</p>
<p>Like a pan. Or a ladle.</p>
<p>"Hey, hey, ladies," Mr C, barely a foot in, immediately raised his hands placatingly. "Put 'em down, will you please?"</p>
<p>"Hm. <em>She</em> started."</p>
<p>Red scoffed. "She's a thief."</p>
<p>Gloria snorted. "You hear her?"</p>
<p>"It was y…"</p>
<p>"...ou are paranoid and -"</p>
<p>"Ladies, ladies ladies! PLEASE!" he boomed - just a little. They paused, at least, with looks that made him feel ashamed. "Er, OK, so… would you mind telling me what's going on?"</p>
<p>The two eyed each other.</p>
<p>By her friend's side, Aleida started. "Red's high on magic shrooms again and…"</p>
<p>"Hey!" Anita gasped. "That was once and it was Blanca's fault."</p>
<p>"Yo! Don't you go blame Blanca when Nicky…"</p>
<p>"LADIES!" Mr C's ears were already hurting. They stopped. "SIT DOWN. Let's talk it out. ONE at a time."</p>
<p>"But -"</p>
<p>"NO."</p>
<p>There were some protests, but then they all sat right there on the floor in the pantry, and after a bit, got down to talking. Mr C was all for dialogue and this method he called 'restorative justice' to solve conflicts.</p>
<p>Finally the facts came up: Red had gone to retrieve some cookies from the back, all cheerful with the foretaste of a break with them and a few of her favorite elves, when suddenly… they were not there on their shelf. Missing. Disappeared. No more.</p>
<p>She had looked around of course, on the nearby surfaces and then the others, in a progressively widening circle, but… no.</p>
<p>So she had asked her coworkers, who knew nothing; though they helped; and it was Gina who found the empty baking tray lying under a shelf, empty, just some crumbs where her delicious, wonderful pryaniki used to be. The whole batch.</p>
<p>"Then she came like a rabid bear and accused me of stealing," Gloria concluded.</p>
<p>Yes, because she and Aleida had joined the Canteen staff just today, to prepare for the Eve.</p>
<p>"You are jealous of my recipes," Red shrugged.</p>
<p>"Pfft," Aleida scorned, "she don't even like your spices."</p>
<p>"Bueno, I do," Gloria murmured. A surprised flash of triumph passed in Red's eyes. "But anyway, Red, you really think I did that? We always play this fair and square."</p>
<p>Mh. It was true. Between the two elves there sure was culinary rivalry, but also respect.</p>
<p>"What about her?" Red asked, pointing at Aleida.</p>
<p>"Hey!"</p>
<p>Gloria opened her mouth to answer, then paused. Well…</p>
<p>Aledia scoffed. "Ya think this was the best I could do if I wanted to me… muddle things up?"</p>
<p>Mh. Also true.</p>
<p>"But then, who?"</p>
<p>They tried to recall the visiting elves.</p>
<p>"Nicky! She was here mid-morning," Anita remembered.</p>
<p>"She knows not to go around the pantry."</p>
<p>"Yes." Even Mr C knew she would not defy her elfic mom like that.</p>
<p>"Hey... she was with Boo, no?" Gloria remembered.</p>
<p>Red shook her head again. "I gave her enough roasted corn to last the whole day."</p>
<p>"A'right."</p>
<p>"Then who… oh."</p>
<p>"What?" Aleida prompted.</p>
<p>"Luschek," Anita elaborated. "He came by early."</p>
<p>Oh, he did. Gloria and Aleida were still on their way and he didn't catch them; he had a flimsy excuse about Workshop things to discuss, left with a promise to come back later but never did.</p>
<p>Gloria's cheeks colored a bit. They all knew Luschek hovered around her a lot lately.</p>
<p>"You didn't tell me," Red said.</p>
<p>Anita shrugged. "I forgot. Anyways, maybe he stayed away because he was guilty."</p>
<p>"Maybe it wasn't him," Gloria said.</p>
<p>Red threw her a glance.</p>
<p>"I'm just sayin'," she mumbled.</p>
<p>"Well, it's an idea," Mr C conceded. "Let's keep an open mind, OK, elves? But we can certainly ask."</p>
<p>They all nodded in agreement.</p>
<p>'Ask', Red thought. Yes, she'll give him 'ask'.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That day, Scott was conflicted.</p>
<p>On the one side, there were reasons to rejoice.</p>
<p>But on the other side, there were reasons to worry.</p>
<p>Little King had started feeling better, popping out a handful of rock-hard dark brown small balls with only minor efforts. It could only get better.</p>
<p>At the same time, his own research at the Post Office was not yielding any results. Sure, the yellow section had never looked more harmonious; and his colleagues would own him plenty of mead for the job he was doing all alone in their nightmarish common archive; but he couldn't find a canary that matched the mysterious envelope, or if the hue was right than the handwriting was wrong.</p>
<p>So he could not be 100% satisfied.</p>
<p>There was still half the no-envelope section to go through.</p>
<p>And if it was a failure… what then?</p>
<hr/>
<p>"She has it in for me."</p>
<p>"Oh, poor baby."</p>
<p>"It's true!" Luschek reiterated. "She always had, 'cause she doesn't like that Nicky's friends with me."</p>
<p>Miss Rosa shook her head. "I wonder why," she mumbled.</p>
<p>They were by the animals, one fixing the gate of the reindeer fence, the other a few feet apart having a chat with her dogs. Some of them had done quite the journey recently, for Miss Rosa had finally had a few days off, entrusted her duties in Litsifjöld to Ford's capable rein and went to the US to visit her old friend Don; she'd been back for a couple of days now.</p>
<p>Luschek was trying to screw the hinges with one hand, while using the left to simultaneously hold a pipe and pull up his pants, which had a tendency to lower on their own. He'd already scorched his buttock a couple of times in the last five minutes.</p>
<p>"Can you lift…" her eyebrows rose. "'Kay… Boo!" He shouted.</p>
<p>"Hey!" the elf in question appeared. "I'm just here, you know." She was right by Miss Rosa, in fact, on her evening round to see the husky.</p>
<p>"Oh," Luschek scratched his head. "Ouch! 'Kay." What was a little more burnt hair. "Can you help?" he gestured.</p>
<p>"Fine," she conceded, and walked to him. "So, what were you saying about Red?"</p>
<p>"Just that she's… she's… mean!" he burst out. "She came to the Workshop with her friends like a firing squad, the squirrely elf looking at me all judgy, the plump one nodding at all Red said and the mute with her eyes like a priest at confession. And she started accusing me of, of, dwarves doo-doo!"</p>
<p>And he explained about the missing cookies.</p>
<p>"I'd never do that!" two sets of elfic eyes, and several more canine and ungulate ones, lay on him. "Well, okay… But I didn't do it this time."</p>
<p>Then he complained about the slander, "and right in front of Mr C!" and the brutal interrogation. "I'm hypersensitive, you know."</p>
<p>Again, the eyes. "Fine, I don't give a fudge. But still."</p>
<p>"Mh," Miss Rosa hummed. "Was Gloria there?"</p>
<p>"No," he denied immediately, blushing.</p>
<p>"Right."</p>
<p>They went on with their work, and managed to finish a little after sundown, when Suzanne and Lolly passed to greet the animals, as they often did even if it wasn't their shift.</p>
<p>Luschek's story interested them, and they had a good number of observations and queries.</p>
<p>"So it was actually Red who found the cookies were missing, mh?"</p>
<p>"<em>She</em> said so, yeah."</p>
<p>"And Gina said the tray was not very well hidden under the shelf."</p>
<p>"And Norma didn't say anything."</p>
<p>"...Mmh. All very suspicious," they concurred.</p>
<p>"Fine, fine," Boo interrupted. "But that's in the past now."</p>
<p>"Yeah," Miss Rosa agreed. "Let's just hope it doesn't happen again."</p>
<p>"Yes," they nodded.</p>
<p>"Well, yeah," Luschek shrugged. "And anyways, what matters is they had to let me go."</p>
<p>"Right, you're here… Why?"</p>
<p>"Lack of evidence."</p>
<p>"Ooh, yes. You can't be sure with no evidence."</p>
<p>"Sometimes you can't even be sure when there <em>is</em> evidence."</p>
<p>"M-mh," Suzanne assented wisely.</p>
<p>It was getting late by then, and all started taking their leaves from the animals, which was a short affair for some like Luschek, and a lenghty one for others.</p>
<p>Finally they lit up their lanterns and were ready to go.</p>
<p>Boo walked ahead, chatting with Miss Rosa; behind them came Luschek, and in the rear Suzanne and Lolly, who continued turning back for as long as they could catch a glimpse of the stalls and pen.</p>
<p>"Goodnight doggies! Goodnight reindeer!"</p>
<p>Yeah. Goodnight, doggies. Goodbye, reindeer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. December 30th</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The dogs were not scary, they didn’t even bark. Just one, once, but he stopped immediately. They all sniffed and came close for a petting. They were soft.</p>
<p>Oh but these animals here, they were so pretty!</p>
<p>“Hey!”</p>
<p>Cool! They were not afraid. They were curious! You could touch their muzzle, oh!</p>
<p>“You’re cold! Do you want a cookie?”</p>
<p>Yes, they liked cookies too!</p>
<p>“Hey, Rudolph!” He was there in the center of the pen, red nose switching on and off even though the sun had come up. “Come here!” But no. Maybe he was shy.</p>
<p>“Don’t you want a cookie?” flaunting it up. “No, not you, you just ate two… yes!”</p>
<p>The gate was easy to open.</p>
<p>“You stay away. I’m here Rudy…”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Panda!” Wanda’s loud voice jolted him awake. It seemed like only five minutes since Scott had gone to bed after soothing a crying King back to sleep, twice that night.</p>
<p>“Wha...what?” he fumbled.</p>
<p>Her angry face appeared by the door. “Come and see,” then disappeared again.</p>
<p>Uh-oh. What had he done?</p>
<p>He hurried up, got into his fuzzy nightgown and reached the adjoining little room, that was King’s.</p>
<p>Inside, Wanda was whispering to the half-naked baby in her arms, back on the door.</p>
<p>Scott scratched his head, peeping around, when she abruptly turned and revealed...</p>
<p>“Care to explain that?” she gestured.</p>
<p>On their handmade fir wood changing table lay a diaper, a substantially full diaper.</p>
<p>“Oh…” he paused, then smiled. This must be it! So that was why he had been crying so much: he had to give birth to… this; then the herbal tea had worked its magic as expected, and really relieved King of his, er, burden. Scott looked up at his wife again to…</p>
<p>Uops. She was not smiling.</p>
<p>“Get closer,” she ordered.</p>
<p>Cautiously, Scott did.</p>
<p>The nearer you got, the bigger it looked. But also… it was true, there was something weird there, something… yellow?</p>
<p>Frowning, Scott elfed up and creeped closer still, trying not to breathe and squinting and… oh dear Lord… dear… <em>ear</em>… <em>Sa</em>… <em>ear San</em>… Dear Santa!</p>
<p>But that meant… the yellow… was it… the shaky writing…</p>
<p>YES!</p>
<p>There, kneaded together with… you know - was the missing letter. King must have got a hold of it with his grubby chubby fingers when they were at the Office on the 23th, and put it in his mouth, like he did with most things.</p>
<p>Scott laughed, suddenly filled with relief, mirth, happiness… dread.</p>
<p>He eyed Wanda, who was watching him between mocking and expectant, waiting for reality to dawn on him.</p>
<p>Oooh yeah. This wouldn’t be much fun.</p>
<p>Little accidents could happen at the Post Office. Cinnamon tea and especially hot chocolate had a tendency to spill over paper, and he and his colleagues had developed their techniques to clean them up. But this… this was on another level.</p>
<p>His son really was a king, at least when it came to… this.</p>
<p>“We’re gonna have a nice bath now, right little muffin?” Wanda rubbed noses with the baby. “And your dad will take care of things here.”</p>
<p>She passed by Scott and stamped a kiss on his cheek. “Go, big bad Panda.” And left the room.</p>
<p>He stood there, abandoned, with the proof of his sins. Then inhaled decidedly, and nodded to himself.</p>
<p>It was a dirty job, but elfbody had gotta do it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>By the reindeer pen, the elves were in turmoil.</p>
<p>“Son of a birch,” Frieda had exclaimed when she got there, early in the morning.</p>
<p>For she was just passing by on her way to the Garden, when something had her stop cold on her boots. Some-thing<em>s</em>. Or their absence.</p>
<p>Her favorite path ran along the stalls of the dogs, which were enjoying the first rays of light and waiting for one of their keepers to come let them out. But behind that, where the reindeer would have usually been similarly (un)occupied, was only empty space.</p>
<p>Of the whole herd, only silly Rudolph was there, his nose intermittently glowing and fading.</p>
<p>The other reindeer had simply… vanished.</p>
<p>The gate of the fence was open, fresh footprints went out of it and in all directions.</p>
<p>Fudge, she thought.</p>
<p>Then all the crew was summoned, Ryder, Dwight, and Lolly and Suzanne, Boo and also Luschek, who had been among the last ones there on the previous evening. They swore and swore they’d closed it and all was fine back then… so this? Who had done this?</p>
<p>Frieda didn’t much trust their word, but let it go. For now, what mattered was solving the problem.</p>
<p>The reindeer must still be in the Litsifjöld area or their updated alarm system at the Northern and Southern Gates would have gone off, that was not it.</p>
<p>If all was good, most reindeer would probably come back on their own soon...</p>
<p>“But what if they are not okay?” Suzanne worried.</p>
<p>“And what about Blitzen, what about Vixen?” Ryder mused. The first could easily burn the Garden’s most delicate crops with his electrical antlers if not careful, the other, if left alone, could make up all sorts of tricks for the elves or her fellow animals. And Prancer, and Dancer… not to mention the others; all could come up with their own brand of mischief, or get into trouble.</p>
<p>“And if there is something more behind this?” Lolly wondered. “What if Linda managed to get in,” Boo winced, “or maybe it’s someone we don’t know yet, a very powerful being, like…”</p>
<p>“OK, OK, elves,” Frieda interrupted before it got out of hand. “The best course of action is to look for them and check they’re alright, ain’t it?”</p>
<p>Dwight sniffed. “Yes. I don’t think they are wounded,” she sniffed once more, “but I do smell something strange in the air.”</p>
<p>“Well. Let’s spread out and go then,” Frieda said, “we got tracks to follow.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span>Tracks.</span>
</p>
<p>More specifically, footsteps.</p>
<p>Why hadn't she thought about this before?</p>
<p>Red shook her head.</p>
<p>They were impossible to follow now, because they soon joined the path that went on one end from the Canteen up to Sophia and Danita's sauna, which was well walked after Christmas, and on the other to the school, also much trodden, and got confused with many others.</p>
<p>So there were only some clear ones by now: but those were quite unique. And ended suspiciously close to the pile of broken furniture under the small window, that was the pantry’s.</p>
<p>"I don't get it," Gloria said. She had been forced by Red to join her investigation, and was now looking at the snow too, though uncomprehending. "What is this?"</p>
<p>"This, my dear, is proof," Red pronounced.</p>
<p>"What proof?" Gloria sounded skeptical.</p>
<p>"You see that?" the other elf pointed at something.</p>
<p>"Yeah, and?"</p>
<p>"And that?" she pointed somewhere else.</p>
<p>"Listen Red, I don't…"</p>
<p>"So," Red got on with her line of reasoning, "Michael and Abel and other children often stop here to play in the afternoon, and then come into the kitchen to ask for chocolate," right, like yesterday, she remembered. Red gestured to a lopsided snowmen with an old apron and a very thin mouth set in a scowl made of tiny buttons, as well as clear eyes constructed out of pieces of light blue glass.</p>
<p>"Mh," well that was fun, Gloria thought with a smirk.</p>
<p>Red frowned, only now noticing the resemblance. Those scoundrels. She sent a withering glare to Gloria.</p>
<p>"Anyway," she said. "You see the small feet, these are their steps."</p>
<p>"OK?"</p>
<p>"But those ones," her index was now directed to some other tracks, near the back wall of the Canteen building; "they are different. They are… peculiar. They belong to someone else."</p>
<p>"Mh…"</p>
<p>It was true. They were very strange for elfic footwear, which was usually easy to recognize and didn’t have much range, being comprised mostly by curved-end slippers and boots, and the occasional high heels; only Fig frequently wore non-elfic shoes, but these were not her style. They almost looked like Janae’s pointed trainers, but… not quite.</p>
<p>“No, look at the tip,” Red agreed.</p>
<p>“So what’s this? You got an idea?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Red looked up. “That oaf’s shoes from the moving picture.”</p>
<p>Gloria started. “What?”</p>
<p>Oh. But yes. They had not seen the film, both had better things to do when in the outside world with working modern technology, but elficone in the village had heard Luschek brag about these famous sneakers and where they came from, and had seen them on him. The prints were definitely weird that way, and Luschek did have small feet.</p>
<p>“Fine,” Gloria conceded. “But I’m not gonna come accuse him this time. Someone’s gotta stay supervise the kitchen,” she explained.</p>
<p>It was not a problem for Red to go and give a good dressing down to the Maintenance elf alone. But he insisted on denying, and in the end went back with her to settle the matter.</p>
<p>“You see?” he asked, after stomping his very unfit for snow Nike MAG on the ground next to those couple of footprints. “They don’t match.”</p>
<p>“Hmph,” she grumbled, unsatisfied. “You may go.”</p>
<p>“But…” he began, almost waiting for an apology, but then noticed her stony face and thought better of it. “‘Kay,” he muttered. “Bye,” and clomped away.</p>
<p>“выдумка,” Red swore. “Fudge.” Blaming the pryaniki theft on him was impossible now, as well as the disappearance of half a jar of wild berry jam she had discovered today.</p>
<p>So, who was the food thief?</p>
<p>Slowly, she went back to the kitchen and her job.</p>
<p>The whole day, behind all the work to do, overtime with Shani to give another go at the pryaniki, her elves to manage, and some bickering with Gloria, she was pensive. Who could it be. Who could it be.</p>
<p>Candidates abounded, sweet tooth elves like Suzanne or Cindy, or silly ones like Flaritza or the meadheads, Angie and Leanne. But there was no proof, no witness.</p>
<p>Much as she didn’t like to, she might have to let this go.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That evening Poussey closed the Library early, and now the space was occupied by the JaSTaCaP quintet for their rehearsal .</p>
<p>All the elves were friends, but they also had strong opinions, which led to frequent artistic disagreements.</p>
<p>“That’s too Christmasy!” Janae objected.</p>
<p>Taystee threw her a glance, while Suzanne gasped. “But it’s one of our classics!”</p>
<p>“That’s true,” Poussey nodded.</p>
<p>“Mh. ‘Kay,” Janae allowed, and Cindy wrote on her notepad this other agreed-upon song, <em>Joy to the World</em>.</p>
<p>“Now!” Taystee clapped. “We need something else for the upbeat repertoire, one or two more… got any idea?</p>
<p>“I got this. <em>Rowdy at the Party</em>,” Cindy said, simultaneously jotting down the title.</p>
<p>“Yo, girl!” T protested.</p>
<p>“There’s kids too!” Janae reminded her friend, “Like yours.”</p>
<p>“It’s for when they get to sleep!” Cindy replied.</p>
<p>T thought it over, then consented. “Fiine, maybe we can keep -”</p>
<p>“Yo, Cindy, put that down!” P yelled.</p>
<p>The other elf, caught with a hand on the pot of fruity hooch the librarian had left on the stove, jumped up. “A’right, geez!”</p>
<p>“It’s not done,” P groused, and gave it a stir. It needed more work, and would hopefully be ready for the next year.</p>
<p>With the list perfected, the five elves got to rehearse the last two songs.</p>
<p>Then, after putting out the fire and collecting their things, they left the place eager for some time off, and at Cindy’s suggestion headed to</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <b>Penn’s Tavern</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Penn’s Tavern was pretty animated.</p>
<p>The elves enjoyed company, and the big party planned for the morrow was no reason for them to renounce it today.</p>
<p>The singing group got in and immediately hurried to a free table, all but one, who lit up when she saw Boo at the counter and stopped by.</p>
<p>“Boo,” she said.</p>
<p>“Hey, Suzanne,” Boo interrupted her chat with Penn, who got back to spilling some mead, and turned to her. “‘Sup?”</p>
<p>“How are the reindeer?” she asked eagerly.</p>
<p>“Ha!” Boo patted her back. “Just peachy,” she assured. “All fed and toasty for the night.”</p>
<p>“And…”</p>
<p>“And the fence is very <em>closed</em>, I double checked.”</p>
<p>A repeat of today would not be ideal: they’d taken hours to gather the whole herd, as Dasher and Blitzen had evidently fancied a little race among themselves and ended up almost as far as the Northern Gate.</p>
<p>“Oh. Good, good,” Suzanne nodded, serious. “Well, maybe I’ll pass there later, just to, to say goodnight.”</p>
<p>“That’s an excellent idea,” Boo said. “Now, can I offer you some…”</p>
<p>“Oh, thank you, thanks, I’m,” Suzanne gestured awkwardly to her other friends, “I’m sitting there.”</p>
<p>“Alright. Have fun then!”</p>
<p>Suzanne greeted Boo and Penn, who scowled but waved. “She knows I’m not gonna go there and take their orders or nothin’, right?”</p>
<p>“She knows, they’ll come,” Boo shrugged it off.</p>
<p>Just then, Nicky came for her tray of mead and cranberry juice. “Thanks!” she exclaimed, and brought it back to her friends.</p>
<p>‘Cause at Penn’s a strict no-table-service rule was in force: you were thirsty, you could move your buttocks, ask for it and then retrieve it.</p>
<p>So Nicky had gone that time, also to let her girlfriend Shani fully enjoy her break - she worked with Penn.</p>
<p>“Here, my lady,” she handed her the glass of red liquid. “Alex, you help yourself.”</p>
<p>“Pfft,” the other elf at the table scoffed.</p>
<p>They were sitting in a corner. The fourth of their party was just joining them again.</p>
<p>“That was quick,” Alex commented.</p>
<p>“What were you telling Mr C?” Shani asked, for Piper had come back from where he and Fig sat.</p>
<p>“Well,” Piper started. ”I just finished the PR &amp; Marketing report for this past year and a proposal for the next, and…” Alex eyed her, “OK, it was mostly done two weeks ago. But I still had to make some adjustments after the 25th!” Piper amended.</p>
<p>“Better,” Alex smirked, her free arm circling her shoulders.</p>
<p>“<em>Anyways</em>,” Piper’s voice got lower, “I was telling him about my ideas on a joint campaign with Kwanzaa, I was presenting the fifth item on my ‘pros’ list and I think he might have been prone to listening more, when Miss Figueroa, well”, she lowered her voice even more, “I’m sorry to say but she basically <em>cut me off</em>, and told me to come back in a week or three.”</p>
<p>“That’s a bit rude,” Shani, who was still quite new in Litsifjöld, said.</p>
<p>The others exchanged a glance.</p>
<p>“Well, perhaps this wasn’t the best time ever to come forward with your proposal,” Alex tried.</p>
<p>“But Christmas is over, and…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but y’know, there’s tomorrow, and the post-Christmas fix ups these days,” Nicky explained.</p>
<p>“And elves come here to chill at night, Pipes… even them… just like us,” Alex added.</p>
<p>“Mmh.” She considered this. “Maybe you’re right.”</p>
<p>Shani nodded. “I hadn’t thought about this either.”</p>
<p>“I should go apologize…” Piper started getting up, but was pulled back down and on her lap by Alex.</p>
<p>“No need, Pipes. You can do it the next time,” she assured, looking at the couple a few tables away, who seemed very busy.</p>
<p>Mr C and Fig were deep in conversation.</p>
<p>“Some elves just can’t get a hint.”</p>
<p>“She’s an overachiever,” Mr C justified.</p>
<p>“She’s a nuisance,” Fig retorted.</p>
<p>“Well,” he admitted, “she can be very eager.”</p>
<p>“Hmph.” Fig took a sip of her mulled wine. “These elves have got no sense of boundaries.”</p>
<p>Mr C gulped down some eggnog too. “Mh?”</p>
<p>“They all see you around the village or come look for you every single day,” she explained, “and then when we come here, they still have to come up with their greetings, and requests, and bad jokes, and -”</p>
<p>“I know,” he shrugged, “but what can we do? They’re a friendly sort.”</p>
<p>“Too friendly,” she said, and leaned forward to brush some cream away from his moustache. “And you’re too kind.”</p>
<p>Mr C smirked. “That’s why you like me.”</p>
<p>She snorted. “P-lease. <em>Like</em> you? What are we, five?” He opened his mouth to answer, then closed it immediately. “Besides,” there was something on his knee, “you know there’s a time for <em>kind</em>,” the hand was moving higher… “and there’s a time when <em>not kind</em> works perfectly well…”</p>
<p>Mr C gripped his mug, gaze wandering around the room and stopping on an elf sitting alone. He wasn’t seen frequently here these days, but evidently could still have some time off.</p>
<p><em>Ah</em>, and there joining him was another, also a rare sight.</p>
<p><em>OH</em>.</p>
<p>As for him, he couldn’t complain much, <em>oh no he reeally couldn’t</em>, but there sure were some lucky elves in the village; did they realize that?</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It had taken a whole day of hard work, but by sundown, Scott had done it: he had managed to cleanse the letter.</p>
<p>He had done it at home, in the little room where they kept all their knick-knack and old junk, not to let his colleagues in on the incident - not yet.</p>
<p>And… ooh, poor child!</p>
<p>It wasn’t such a novel situation or request, and sometimes they could grant it, and sometimes not, but this year he empathized more than usual. What luck he had, he thought, giving a big kiss to his puzzled wife and now serene child, before going out.</p>
<p>Ah, he’d arrived!</p>
<p>Scott waved with his jug of ginger beer, and motioned to the table, where another one was already waiting.</p>
<p>Yadriel sat down and took a sip.</p>
<p>Yes, this was the elf for the job. It was time to mend the mistake.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 31st December</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last day of the year was also the longest.</p>
<p>And no, in this case it had little to do with parties and toasts, and much more with the unexpected workload that had fallen unto him on the previous evening, and its urgent nature.</p>
<p>Technically, Yadriel was on paternity leave.</p>
<p>After the events of twelve months before, Mr C’s kidnapping and his rescue, he had been given some time off and fully enjoyed it with his girlfriend Maria. As a result, she’d quickly ended up pregnant and now they were both busy with the care of little Pepa.</p>
<p>However on occasion there had been a mission which needed his expertise, and some jobs he could carry out via chimney calls and other methods the elves at 3S, Santa Secret Service, liked to call ‘smart working’.</p>
<p>Maria at first had been annoyed, but then started to appreciate the chance to overhear his conversations with boss and colleagues - they were interesting, if frequently obscure, and provided a distraction from Pepa’s little cries and gurgles and giggles, which tended to suck them in completely. Besides, she’d never heard Yadriel’s voice that much; it was a nice voice.</p>
<p>But now she was getting angry.</p>
<p>It was morning, and Yadriel had already been in the living room for hours.</p>
<p>“You done?” she hissed, rocking the dozing baby in her arms.</p>
<p>He made a gesture, then finally, finally wrapped up the call with Chang and got off the chimney.</p>
<p>“About time!” she exclaimed.</p>
<p>“Yes. But it was important,” he stood up with the yellow piece of paper in his hand, arm stretched out as if to let her take a look.</p>
<p>“Ah!,” she jumped back. She knew where that had been. “You told me, I know.”</p>
<p>She did. It was a moving story. Yadriel had explained and read her the letter when he came back from Penn’s last night, it was sad and sweet and he said it was clean - it was true a nice scent of juniper and tangerine wafted from it - but still…</p>
<p>He folded it up and put it back in the envelope, then slipped this in his breast pocket.</p>
<p>“They found her, y’know,” he said simply, lightly caressing Pepa’s back.</p>
<p>Maria looked up. “Really? That’s good. Then…”</p>
<p>“Well, they found out who she is, anyways. She’s disappeared.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” Maria frowned. That poor orphan. So small, defenseless, alone in a big city… “Hey, where you goin’?”</p>
<p>Yadriel was buttoning up his green coat, getting ready to leave. “I have an idea.”</p>
<p>“And what is it?”</p>
<p>“Maybe Gloria can help. Tell you later, OK?” he kissed her cheek, and Pepa’s forehead, and went to the door.</p>
<p>“‘Kay.”</p>
<p>He went out.</p>
<p>Pepa stirred, and started crying. Yayy, Maria sighed. And it was barely eight.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>Workshop, Dolls Subdivision</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>At the Workshop, the few elves on duty were already arguing.</p>
<p>They should have been working on the replacement presents and the back orders come late to the Post Office and approved by the emergency committee - an offshoot of the actual Committee that evaluated all requests to Santa during the year, and after Christmas operated more swiftly, with less Officers and protocols to follow.</p>
<p>They would have, if no unforeseen event had taken place.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t us!” Maritza repeated forcefully.</p>
<p>“Ptarmigan’s poop,” Blanca crossed her arms.</p>
<p>Flaca sighed. Maritza grumbled.</p>
<p>Karla entered the room.</p>
<p>She had been fetched by Zirconia, who materialized behind her, leaning against the threshold.</p>
<p>“Snitch,” Maritza’s tongue stuck out; Zirconia grinned with all her golden grills.</p>
<p>“Ah, you’re here. Good,” Blanca approved.</p>
<p>Karla studied their stance, and surroundings. “So, what is happening?”</p>
<p>“These two airheads ate my plantain chips and spicy vanilla cookies,” Blanca accused. Since she got pregnant she’d had strange cravings, and kept a stash of snacks in a broom closet at work too; but this morning it was utterly empty.</p>
<p>“Hmph. I don’t do bananas,” Flaca waved off.</p>
<p>“And I don’t do vanilla,” Maritza smirked.</p>
<p>Karla’s lips thinned. <em>Patience with kids.</em> “Why do you think it was them, Blanca?”</p>
<p>“I came by to ask and they were in there,” she pointed, ”with evidence.”</p>
<p>The door of the huge sample fully-fitted dolls house, a fixed feature of that subdivision and there to serve as inspiration for the elves’ work, was open.</p>
<p>Maritza protested. “We found it ajar and were looking!”</p>
<p>“There was also a weird smell,” Flaca added.</p>
<p>“Yeah, we don’t smell of Little Boo,” her friend nodded.</p>
<p>Karla ignored them and went to verify. Yes, the house appeared a little lived in: some furniture had been moved, crumbs of cookies and a few chips lay on a carpet, and there was an unusual something in the air. She peeked out at the other women.</p>
<p>“It wasn’t us,” Maritza was quick to reiterate.</p>
<p>“You used it for slumber parties before”, Blanca retorted.</p>
<p>Zirconia remembered that too.</p>
<p>“Hey, it was ages ago! And like, maybe, only once…”</p>
<p>“...or twice,” Flaca amended. “But not this time!”</p>
<p>“Yeah, we’re not slobs.”</p>
<p>“Mh,” Zirconia hummed suspicious.</p>
<p>Blanca insisted. “But what were you doing in so early? No one saw you coming.”</p>
<p>“Yes, what were you doing?” echoed Zirconia.</p>
<p>“You shut up,” Maritza snapped.</p>
<p>“It’s actually not helping,” Karla admitted. “But girls, you <em>did</em> arrive before elficone else…”</p>
<p>“Yeah, so?” Flaca checked her nails. “We wanted to start work…”</p>
<p>“Har har…” a glance; Zirconia shut up.</p>
<p>“...we wanted to start <em>and</em> finish early ‘cause we got an appointment at Sophia and Danita’s!” Flaca explained.</p>
<p>“Yeah, some of us like to stay beautiful,” Maritza said. “Not that someone would understand that.”</p>
<p>Zirconia tsked. “Some of us don’t need to put mud on their faces or be covered in grass-”</p>
<p>“- it’s hay,” Flaca corrected.</p>
<p>“...in <em>grass</em> to get a sense of self.”</p>
<p>Maritza frowned. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”</p>
<p>“Elves…” Karla tried.</p>
<p>“Nothin’, don’t you worry about it,” Zirconia chuckled.</p>
<p>Maritza saw red. She jerked forward and made to reach Zirconia, who jumped back; Karla and Blanca were almost caught in the fireline, and Flaca just managed to stop her friend at the last second before she’d got the wrong elf.</p>
<p>All stopped cold at the almost hit on their temporary boss, looking at her guilty and expectant.</p>
<p>“Now,” Karla was seething. She took a deep breath. “Elves.”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry Karla, but she…”</p>
<p>“I didn’t mean it, it’s just she…”</p>
<p>“STOP!” Karla finally yelled. “All of you. Now, you wait out with Blanca,” she ordered Flaca. “I’m gonna hear from you,” indicating Maritza, “then your friend,” Flaca again, “then Blanca’s version.”</p>
<p>Zirconia chimed in. “And me?”</p>
<p>“You have nothing to do with this, you just caught them fighting following the shouts,” Karla cut her off. “Get back to work.”</p>
<p>“Oh,” she deflated, and had to leave, not even managing to throw in a last dirty look to Maritza, ‘cause they were all watching her.</p>
<p>“Well?” Karla prompted then. “What are you waiting for?”</p>
<p>Blanca grabbed Flaca’s elbow to drag her to the door, which she squirmed out of. “I can walk on my own, thanks.” She turned to Karla. “I feel severely mishandled,” she announced.</p>
<p>“Yeah, the same,” Maritza pouted, trapped in there with their kinda boss.</p>
<p>“Good luck in finding a lawyer,” Karla dismissed.</p>
<p>The door closed on the former Dolls Subdivision, now Interrogation Room.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Scott was surprised, feeling good, happy, overly excited.</p>
<p>Yadriel and his colleagues had identified the little munchkin (“She’s not a Munchkin!” Wanda had reminded him. Fine, no; maybe), and yes, she was missing, but he had an idea and said they shouldn’t worry too much, probably - and he was a pro, right?</p>
<p>They went to check a few places around Litsifjöld and Scott personally did not understand why, but Yadriel muttered something about ears extra open, professional deformation and loose ends, by which it was clear that there must have been a reason for the detour.</p>
<p>At the moment they were on the path to the Kitchen, to see Gloria.</p>
<p>She should be able to help, Yadriel reckoned, and maybe they would even wrap this up soon.</p>
<p>Though flushed and huffing in a struggle to keep up with his more athletically inclined friend, Scott smiled.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>At the Kitchen</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Gloria was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. And most of it was still to come.</p>
<p>Part of it was normal: coexisting with Red was hard enough on its own, let alone in the same kitchen when the stakes were this high.</p>
<p>They butted heads, argued over the menu and when they’d finally found some middle ground, over how to prepare the dishes, ‘cause there were always two possible ways and it wasn’t that they were just different, no, one was completely wrong and would lead to disaster whereas the other was as close to perfection as elfkind could reach and sure to grant optimal results.</p>
<p>So she’d already been fairly busy when Yadriel and Scott knocked with their ill-timed request.</p>
<p>Red was not happy when she abandoned her work station for an “urgent, top secret mission”, the agent had said. Even less when Norma followed. Without her calming influence, what would happen with the elves in the kitchen?</p>
<p>“<em>Put that down,” </em>she heard Red’s voice boom.</p>
<p>“<em>Oyster flavor goes with everything!”</em></p>
<p>Yeah. That. <em>Aleida</em> would happen. She was hard working and a good friend, but not to be left out of control.</p>
<p>Gloria sighed, and broke the second egg in the bowl. Norma looked up from her notepad and tilted her head just so, pursing her lips.</p>
<p>“Can you make me a hot chocolate? I didn’t have time for breakfast,” Scott asked from the bench he was sitting on, watching them.</p>
<p>“Yeah, sure,” she spat, tearing another clove from the garlic head with violence. “You want cinnamon or whipped cream on it?”</p>
<p>“Oh, both, thanks!” he beamed.</p>
<p>She felt Norma’s touch on her arm. <em>Aaah</em>. Focus, let go… the poor child… yeah, yeah.</p>
<p>Gloria continued with her job, while Norma prepared Scott’s drink.</p>
<p>Yadriel had given them the basics, then went on about his business, saying he’d come by later. But his friend had stayed; he was of no help whatsoever yet enthusiastic about the experience, observing the whole process for their location spell, which was very interesting, he said.</p>
<p>He just made her antsy.</p>
<p>Santeria took time, and nothing could change that fact.</p>
<p>Not Norma’s touch, whatever else it contributed.</p>
<p>Certainly not his incessant asking.</p>
<p>And the candied cherry on top of that mad mid morning had been Flaca barging in and whining about being mistreated, Blanca’s hormones and Karla’s favoritism and whatnot. Gloria’s roar had sent her back to the Workshop.</p>
<p>Amidst all this, where was the promised support from direction? Where were Taystee and Tamika? Neither had showed up today.</p>
<p>“So,” Scott was now cleaning the last of the whipped cream from the mug with his index, licking it, repeat, “what was the last clove for?”</p>
<p>“<em>...gotta do what Red said,” </em>that was Gina’s voice.</p>
<p>“<em>She ain’t my boss, you rodent…”</em></p>
<p>Ah. Enough.</p>
<p>Gloria grabbed the mug from Scott’s hands and put it on the table with a thud. “Hygiene!”</p>
<p>Then she turned to Norma. “I’m going back to the kitchen for a sec;” the other elf nodded. “You can light up one more candle if you feel like it.”</p>
<p>Gloria left their magic room, the two elves in it, the eggs, garlic, honey, candles, and the little altar with the yellow envelope on top.</p>
<p>“<em>... stole those carrots.”</em></p>
<p>“<em>Carrots don’t do nothin’ for me. Cucumber’s the real deal…”</em></p>
<p>Ay. If only there was a spell for <em>that</em>.</p>
<hr/>
<p>As promised, the book arrived in the afternoon.</p>
<p>Miss Rosa had done a quick trip to the fakeys, aka Santa’s Town aka the amusement park out there, in the world outside Litsifjöld, to retrieve some mail and escort a few guests for the night; among the mail, there was the little package.</p>
<p>No doubt it would be a great surprise for Maria.</p>
<p>Yadriel smiled. He had done his investigation and only needed Gloria and Norma to confirm the hypothesis and do their part, which could still take hours. There were some mysterious aspects, yes, like the hows - it shouldn’t be possible, yet… Anyways, later; the priority now was another. Things would go well. They were working on it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>On the paths and trails of Litsifjöld</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Elves, elves everywhere.</p>
<p>Mr Elmer, Berdie, Daya and the kids had left the school loaded: Having finished their decorating, drawing, painting, cutting and glueing for the upcoming party, they brought all their things to the Village Hall, where Taystee and Tamika were directing the traffic.</p>
<p>The Kitchen staff and auxiliaries also went back and forth with big covered trays surely full of delicacies, that were swiftly left on tables on one side of the Hall, with old Taslitz and Irma mounting guard especially against questionable fellows like Luschek, Angie and Leanne, who were in charge of keeping the fireplaces on and therefore had the perfect excuse to hang around.</p>
<p>Then Penn and Shani, they were moving their liquid provisions from the Tavern with the help of Nicky and Boo.</p>
<p>And there were other unoccupied elves, just out to benefit from the last winter sun of the year for a moment.</p>
<p>What utter chaos.</p>
<p>But they were not responsible for it right now - that had been delegated to T &amp; T, while they were supposedly enjoying their free time, meaning, doing PR and entertaining their guests.</p>
<p>Joe was walking in front and chatting with his friend Jack Pearson, and by her side Jason and Gavin were content with doing elves-watching and commenting on everything.</p>
<p>Blanca and Diablo were running around the main path and giving a hand, though he sometimes stopped with a concerned air gesturing at her belly and she just laughed it off.</p>
<p>“Can you picture him with the red suit?”</p>
<p>“He definitely won’t be able to reuse Caputo’s,” Jason and Gavin snickered.</p>
<p>They went on.</p>
<p><em>Hee-haw</em> came from their left, and there sitting in front of their fir-house were Maria and Yadriel with their baby, and a book in front of them.</p>
<p>“Was that a donkey?”</p>
<p>“Or a mule?”</p>
<p>“Mh,” Gavin turned and eyed the family once again, or more probably Yadriel. “I think it was a nice ass.”</p>
<p>Fig rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>Other elves had their own guests.</p>
<p>There were the Warrens, for example, Suzanne walking backwards and gesticulating to make her point with her relatives.</p>
<p>And there was Gloria’s daughter Elena, or was it Cecilia?, with her daughter and aunt Lourdes.</p>
<p>Fig sighed.</p>
<p>Jason and Gavin, Joe and Jack were going on, the ones gossipping, the others certainly talking about Santa’s stuff.</p>
<p>She stopped for a moment, leaning against a branch.</p>
<p>There was also that quasi-new elf, Diaz junior, coming across Bennett and the two blushing and talking.</p>
<p>They were so young, no expiry date on them; Fig could see that he’d take ages to elf up but it didn’t matter, they could take their time, all the time in the world.</p>
<p>Really, it was like spring.</p>
<p>It was like when you’re on a diet and people throw chocolate at you left and right, or… no that wasn’t the right comparison, it was like when you’re the fat girl at the cool guy’s pool party in high school and see all the other perfect slim girls in their bikinis flirt with your dream boy and you just stand there in your large horrible shapeless T-shirt and feel like your heart is shattering into a thousand tiny pieces.</p>
<p>Yes, that was apt.</p>
<p>“Hey, you OK, F… Natalie?” Joe asked. He’d waited for her.</p>
<p>“Yeah. Ecstatic.”</p>
<p>“Are you coming?” he smiled and offered his hand.</p>
<p>They’d have a quiet aperitif at home, before jumping into the community celebration.</p>
<p>“Yes, let’s go.” She took his hand.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>Litsifjöld Town Hall</b>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The whole village was gathered to celebrate New Year’s Eve.</p>
<p>The Hall shined all decked with decorations from Christmas, plus the new ones: more boughs of holly - paper ones (less dangerous!), banners, extra lights, little flags, the numbers of the year to come hung everywhere in all materials available to elfkind lest one forgot the occasion.</p>
<p>Theoretically the ingredients for the perfect night were simple, and not unlike what you would find in most parties of the kind all over the world: games, music, chats and dances, food and drinks - but they were not so easy to put together in practice.</p>
<p>Yet a few hours in it seemed like the collective effort had paid off, and the elves who’d done it all were pretty self-satisfied.</p>
<p>“More,” said Taystee, mouth opening wide. A hazelnut fell into it smoothly.</p>
<p>“Yay!” Tamika exulted.</p>
<p>Her friend made a gesture.</p>
<p>“Another delivery coming in…” she threw; Cindy glided in and caught the candied goodie.</p>
<p>“Yummie! Thanks,” she chomped, and fell onto a chair next to her friends.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Taystee protested.</p>
<p>Cindy shrugged. “You know what we really need here?”</p>
<p>“Better manners?” This was Poussey, who had just then joined them with a hot mug of eggnog.</p>
<p>“Pfft,” Cindy dismissed, “nope. Delivery service, that’s what we need!”</p>
<p>Taystee snorted. “Really?”</p>
<p>“Yup! <em>You</em> gave me the idea. I’ll have to start a petition.”</p>
<p>The others rolled their eyes.</p>
<p>They continued with their food-throwing, Cindy and Taystee making a little competition out of who could catch the most nuts.</p>
<p>“So, who’d be the delivery elf?” Tamika asked.</p>
<p>“Mh,“ Cindy mused. “Someone fast. Maybe Janae?”</p>
<p>“Naa!” Poussey didn’t agree. “She’d say it’s exploitation or somethin’.”</p>
<p>“Right…” Taystee reflected. “Then maybe someone else, like…”</p>
<p>“...Monica!” Cindy boomed. “That’d teach her about the world of work.”</p>
<p>“You just wanna get special treatment!” Tamika replied.</p>
<p>“Who, me? Tsk!”</p>
<p>“Well who said it’s gotta be an elf?” Taystee continued. “It could be, I dunno, one of the dogs like Little Boo or…”</p>
<p>“Boo’d train him to get all the deliveries to her,” Cindy said.</p>
<p>“Mh. Then what about…”</p>
<p>“Hey, what about a stork?” Taystee chimed in. “They good at carrying things, right?</p>
<p>Tamika lit up. “Like the one that lost her way and ended up here last summer?”</p>
<p>“Yasss girl! T &amp; T high fived.</p>
<p>“Mmh, y’know, it’s not a bad idea…” Cindy grabbed the bag of nuts from Tamika’s hands and just emptied it onto a plate. They were now just plainly eating them anyways, more practical. “We’d have to get her used to the climate.”</p>
<p>“Oh, my dear, but I know just the thing,” Poussey punctuated.</p>
<p>Taystee immediately caught the drift. “Really, Mackenzie?”</p>
<p>“Of course Amanda! Didn’t you hear about that new line of unisex, non-speciesist clothes from our friend Meadow?”</p>
<p>“Why, yes! The one in organic reindeer wool made by a small co-op in Iceland’s eco-village of Sölheimar?”</p>
<p>“The very same!”</p>
<p>“They will have something adorable for our little Storky!”</p>
<p>“I am sure!”</p>
<p>Cindy and Tamika shook their heads, while Taystee and Poussey laughed at their own wittiness.</p>
<p>“Hey, you get ready for another little show in ten, OK?” Gina asked, passing by.</p>
<p>Thumbs up, the musical elves agreed.</p>
<p>At the moment the soundtrack of the evening was provided by an old gramophone, but it needed periodical respite and in those intervals the JaSTaCaP quintet could take the stage, for what’s a celebration with no music.</p>
<p>Suzanne, the fourth member of the ensemble, was having fun with Lolly and some kids in the games corner, with the classic Two Resolutions and a Lie, managed by Sister Ingalls.</p>
<p>Near the drinks counter the fifth singer, Janae, was enjoying a new brew with her friend Yoga, <em>ain’t for elficone</em>, Penn had admonished, <em>don’t go advertise it around</em>.</p>
<p>“I know you’re all for Ashtanga,” Jones was saying, “however, I really believe you should really give Yin Yoga a go.”</p>
<p>“I don’t like sitting still that long…” Janae considered, “but for the new year I can promise you I’ll try, once.”</p>
<p>They clinked mugs.</p>
<p>“That’s a start. And you, Boo,” asked Jones, “what are your new year resolutions?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, Boo,” Penn mocked, “what’s your resolution?”</p>
<p>“Well,” Boo put down her own drink, hand in the buttons of her new (Christmas gift!) vest, Napoleon-like and pensive. “I think it could be… you,” looking at Janae.</p>
<p>She made a face, Penn grimaced, and Yoga just sighed.</p>
<p>The night went on.</p>
<p>Elves of all ages, the inhabitants of Litsifjöld and their guests had their fun, chatting, drinking, dancing, singing, and playing.</p>
<p>Gina and Sister Ingalls’ games were a mixed bunch, from werewolf to musical chairs to charades and sleeping lions, and got good reviews. Of course some always preferred the good ol’ cards, especially when something juicy was up for grabs, but between kitchen duty and magic and babies Aleida, Gloria and Maria didn’t have time for a full-on tournament with their friends and only managed some casual hands.</p>
<p>The JaSTaCaP girls were a success, although Suzanne nearly missed her solo during <em>I Saw the Light</em>, but she was quick to recover with a little help from her friends; the selection of records played by the gramophone was appreciated as well, and more elves joined in with their voices. With Flaritza there was just a minor spat or two, for as usual they wanted to steal the spotlight and do their own, less-than-PG-13 show. Mr C had improvised a number with the guitar, too, and incredibly enough, Fig had sung, together with the equally flushed-faced Jason and Gavin.</p>
<p>The likes of Luschek or Judy King and Bill gravitated more than usually advisable towards the drinks counter, with its wide selection of hot teas, chocolate, eggnog, honeymead, cider, and more; but today many an eye was turned blind.</p>
<p>Couples swayed or let loose to the music, among them Blanca and Diablo, Daya and Bennett. Even Scott and Wanda dared, with King in their arms, and Maria and Yadriel and baby Pepa; whenever they crossed, Scott and Yadriel would exchange a glance and the former would fumble for his turnip pocket watch, though it was early.</p>
<p>Some disappeared outside for a breath of fresh night air, or a puff of pipe, or… who knows what. The first couple themselves had been AWOL for quite some time, and Mr C’s few hair was more disheveled than usual when they got back - surely urgent matters had demanded their attention.</p>
<p>Elficone frequently refueled at the food tables, which were self-service and full of all kinds of treats salty and sweet the Kitchen could produce: canapés, stuffed mushrooms, Red’s селедка под шубой aka beetroot/herring salad and <em>golubtsi</em> - cabbage rolls, cheese balls, <em>tembleque</em> by Gloria which was her coconut pudding (a pain in the buttocks to get the ingredients), and orange tarts, and...</p>
<p>There was just a little mishap, when Norma and Aleida first unveiled the bowls and saucers, plates and platters and Red went berserk because she was positive that her arrangement of sandwiches and rolls and chips had been messed up, for which she first accused her coworkers and then suspected foul play from some greedy, barbaric elf like Angie or Leanne or Luschek, but finally decided it must have been straight-up sabotage from Judy King.</p>
<p>It took Nicky quite a bit to calm her down - marginally.</p>
<p>On and on the night went, and at the appointed time they all had <em>arroz</em> with pigeon peas and pork and lentils as main, hot dishes.</p>
<p>Most elficone got to midnight awake, if not sober; including the youngest children, held by their parents and drooping and still there, for Santa’s elves have an exceptional party-physique, if nothing else.</p>
<p>There were toasts and kisses, noisemakers, hugs and eco-friendly fireworks, and of course speeches… Mr C’s was kept short and sweet and to the point, as traditional.</p>
<p>“Dear elves, a toast to this night and the year past, with all their ups and downs we got here! Thank you for your contributions,” he’d started, and then concluded with “the very best wishes for a better year to come!”</p>
<p>For some time the celebrations carried on strong, then gradually dwindled.</p>
<p>Some elves left, others nodded off on a bench; there were lulls in the music, and a sort of drowsy, tipsy camaraderie in the air.</p>
<p>Gloria got back to the Hall; she and Norma had been taking turns all night with food service and the spell. She spotted Yadriel at once, sitting at a table with Diablo.</p>
<p>“Where’s Scott?” she asked. There was a candle in her hands, an odd candle, whose light was getting brighter and brighter and flickering insistently even without any breeze.</p>
<p>Yadriel blinked. “He went home with Wanda and King, and then wanted to come check on you…”</p>
<p>“It was done earlier than we thought,” Gloria said, inspecting at the candle.</p>
<p>Not many elves were left.</p>
<p>On the stage, Cindy and Flaca were fighting over the next record, egged on by Maritza; meanwhile the old gramophone was playing Bing Crosby’s <em>Let’s Start the New Year Right</em>, and Alex and Piper, Mr C and Fig were dancing to it.</p>
<p>Taystee &amp; Tamika and Poussey vegged out in front of a fireplace; at the drinks counter Red, Nicky and Shani were nursing a vodka sneaked in through mysterious channels.</p>
<p>Few others, here and there, chatted or napped.</p>
<p>Yadriel stood and followed Gloria.</p>
<p>The flickering flame guided them, first to one side of the Hall, then the other - it looked indecisive - and finally made up its mind and pointed more clearly in one direction.</p>
<p>Some noticed their strange wanderings and idly watched them as they walked on, silent and focused, with bated breath and hammering hearts.</p>
<p>By one of the big food tables millions of colors seemed to be dancing inside the candle flame, and they paused.</p>
<p>Looked at each other, took another moment.</p>
<p>Then, at Gloria’s nod, Yadriel made a fast move and lifted the tablecloth.</p>
<p>The flame, finally, stilled.</p>
<p>Gloria and Yadriel crouched, and the same did the few elves that had got nearer to see what was happening.</p>
<p>
  <em>Ah!</em>
</p>
<p>A gasp, or many.</p>
<p>“My <em>golubtsi</em>,” Red gaped.</p>
<p>“Now don’t you go makin’ a joke about Storky,” Taystee murmured to Tamika and P.</p>
<p>Fig clutched Mr C’s hand.</p>
<p>For there, under the table, asleep on a dog blanket among cabbage leaves and chips and sandwiches - there was a little girl.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. New Year</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>Epilogue</strong>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The first days of the new year were already behind them.</p>
<p>Usually, by now, gone would be the novelty of it, even more gone their long holiday/high season.</p>
<p>Most of the work for the Christmas past had been done, apart from some stray orders and reports from the slowest divisions - <em>not</em> Maintenance this time, thank you very much - and elficbody could take it easy, almost.</p>
<p>Shifts were at their lightest at the Workshop and most everywhere, several elves were already busier with vacation plans than their jobs, and all was fine and well in Litsifjöld.</p>
<p>But of course, this year had not begun like any other at the village; not one bit.</p>
<p>Just as their celebrations were dwindling down in the first hours of January 1st, a strange child had appeared among them. And what an epiphany (not literally, ‘twould have been too soon, though by now that had already passed), what an epiphany it had been!</p>
<p>A child left among cabbage leaves, and someone had even mentioned a stork, like a legend come true.</p>
<p>Though she was no baby, and there was no magic involved, Yadriel had said.</p>
<p>Yes, because some elves knew evidently: Yadriel, and Gloria, who had physically uncovered the child; and Norma, she was there at the time and looked pleased, but not surprised; and Scott, who entered the Hall mere moments after the deed, relief washing over his face at the sight.</p>
<p>For the others present, this was truly baffling. Red, Nicky, and Shani; Diablo, Blanca, and Flaritza; Cindy, Poussey, Taystee and Tamika; Alex and Piper; and obviously, Mr C and Fig; they were either silent and gaping, or else starting to voice their wonder to one another.</p>
<p>Still, the child was sleeping.</p>
<p>“Hush, you all!” Fig had exploded then - quietly (though not less terrifyingly).</p>
<p>That had shaken Mr C out of his own stupor enough to disperse most elves and get the gist of the story from the suspicious-looking ones.</p>
<p>Then they’d decided to call it a night. And it was only natural for the first couple to be in charge of the child for now, so he had personally carried her home.</p>
<p>When they had put her in a free room, Fig sat in an armchair saying she’d keep watch for a while; he stayed too, and after the woman had fallen asleep as well he put a blanket around her.</p>
<p>Moonlight came in from the window, a beam falling on his… on Natalie, and the little girl.</p>
<p><em>Vanessa</em>, he remembered.</p>
<p>Tomorrow - well, technically, later on that day - there would be time for details and more explanations, but for now, he didn’t need any. Mr C couldn’t recall having ever seen a more beautiful picture than this.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Stop right there!”</p>
<p>The child froze mid-action, wide eyes lifting.</p>
<p>Fig’s eyebrows rose eloquently.”What did we say about that?” she asked.</p>
<p>Vanessa frowned, then lit up. “Oh, yes!” and she recited: “Don’t pull other elves’ pants down.”</p>
<p>A stern nod. Vanessa beamed and went back to her snowman-building, leaving Lolly’s garments alone.</p>
<p>“Hmph,” Tamika could barely suffocate a chuckle. Her boss’s lips pursed, but otherwise she chose to ignore the insubordination.</p>
<p>They went on watching.</p>
<p>A few kids-kids and some grown-up ones like said Lolly and Suzanne were doing an impromptu snowmen competition by the back of the Kitchen.</p>
<p>Vanessa seemed to have already won the affections of most in the village; from the very beginning she had no problems getting along well with its inhabitants. <em>Maybe too well</em>, Fig considered. If she hadn’t picked up that silly game from Angie and Leanne…</p>
<p>“Dwarves doo-doo!”</p>
<p>She blanched. “Vanessa!”</p>
<p>The child paused, uncomprehending, then “Oh… I meant… blimey!”</p>
<p>Fig nodded. “Better.”</p>
<p>...and some chosen vocabulary from Aleida or the likes, to be sure.</p>
<p>To her credit, Tamika managed to reign in more sounds of merriment. “She’s doing well, you know.”</p>
<p>“Mh.” Sure she looked like a carefree child, fully integrated in the community, and had got up to no irreparable damage so far, yet...</p>
<p>“<em>You</em> are doing well.”</p>
<p>“Pfft,” she waved off. Ninety percent of the time, she had no idea what she was doing. But perhaps her old guideline was proving its worth once more: fake it till you make it. Perhaps.</p>
<p>“I thought you had a proposal to talk about with me,” she said, tone aloof, eyes hawkish on the children. “Or maybe that was just an excuse to come out here and take a break from your job.”</p>
<p>Tamika smiled. She was so happy for her boss. Bosses.</p>
<p>“Well?” A glare.</p>
<p>She opened her folder. “Aye, madam.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Ya wanna somethin’ to drink?” Taystee asked loudly, chewing on spiced almonds.</p>
<p>“<em>Cough cough</em>,” Mr C looked at her pointedly. “Come again?”</p>
<p>She looked up from the book in her hands. “Oh… oh. Could I maybe interest you in a beverage of your choice? We have a selection of teas, hot chocolates, meads -” she started to list on her fingers.</p>
<p>“Fine, thank you Taystee,” her boss interrupted. “Nutmeg tea for me. Sirs?”</p>
<p>“Same,” Yadriel said.</p>
<p>“Oh!” Scott brightened up. “A hot chocolate, thank you!” He paused. “With cream. And cinnamon.”</p>
<p>“But of course,” Taystee curtseyed, Mr C sent her a supposedly withering glance, and she left the office.</p>
<p>“Er…” he turned to the chimney again. “Sorry for the interruption.”</p>
<p>In there, Chang barely blinked. “No problem.”</p>
<p>They went back to their meeting.</p>
<p>Yadriel, and Scott, and Gloria and Norma for their part, had long ago told their tale.</p>
<p>From Yadriel’s investigations and the jumbled up tale of Vanessa herself, they understood that Vanessa was an orphan living in New York City. For Christmas she, along with the other kids from her institute, had gone to a shopping center and left a letter to a fake Santa there, a cute if badly misspelled letter where she expressed her wish for a family.</p>
<p>It was that yellow paper which ended up at Litsifjöld’s Post Office, was then lost by Scott and retrieved from… well, retrieved.</p>
<p>But on that day, Vanessa was lost too.</p>
<p>Miss Rosa had been in that same mall with her friend for a last outing. Something must have tickled the curiosity of the kid, who managed to slip away from her carers and follow the elf undetected to her hidden sled, jump in it and travel as a stowaway all the way to the one and only, real village of Santa Claus.</p>
<p>The rest, as they say, was history. Put together by inquiries, interviews, evidence, and speculation. It was Vanessa who had taken food from the pantry leaving footprints of very non-elfic sneakers outside, found Blanca’s stash of snacks at the Workshop and left only crumbles, and obviously disrupted Red’s perfect arrangements of <em>golubtsi</em> and more on the Eve. As for shelter, she had mostly slept in reindeer hay and the dolls house, always wrapped up in a dog’s blanket from Miss Rosa’s sled. Oh, and of course it had been her little hands involuntarily freeing the reindeer one day.</p>
<p>Yes.</p>
<p>All in all, it must be recognized that she demonstrated an aptitude for mischief and a resourcefulness that any elf could be proud of.</p>
<p>Now the last mysteries surrounding her were to be finally revealed, thanks to the 3S elves out in the Wide World, hence the chimney call with Chang at Santa’s office.</p>
<p>But most importantly, after this, the material point would hopefully be solved. Which was, what was to be done with the child? What <em>should</em>, and what <em>could</em> they do with her?</p>
<hr/>
<p>Mr C went out, feeling lighter, and took a deep breath of fresh air.</p>
<p>It was a clear frosty afternoon, a fortnight after that New Year’s Eve, and the days were getting longer.</p>
<p>He had just got off the chimney, and there had been no need to say anything more to Yadriel or Scott, or Taystee.</p>
<p>He asked around, then set out towards the frozen pond and as he walked, he took in the sights.</p>
<p>Red’s face appeared on the threshold of the Kitchen, saying something to Nicky outside.</p>
<p>Karla and Blanca were chatting by the latter’s house, and then his right-hand man Diablo came out of it and waved jovially at Mr C, to which he answered in kind.</p>
<p>On the main path he crossed Luschek and Donaldson and Angie and Leanne, hands full of tools and headed who knew where. Three of the four looked longingly at Penn’s Tavern as they passed it, but didn’t stop.</p>
<p>Walking by the husky, he saw Frieda and Ryder and Dwight busy with some of the dogs.</p>
<p>Further on, in the Garden, Yoga seemed to be tinkering with some plants… naa, he didn’t wanna know.</p>
<p><em>Takes a village</em>, he thought. Sure <em>theirs</em> may be full of misfits and weirdos, but they were a decent sort.</p>
<p>Vanessa, it had come out, really was an orphan, and her biological parents had been stray elves lost in the big city who’d ended up with bad companies, and just badly. Poor them. But it happened, and it was water under the bridge now. Chang had only found out for sure today.</p>
<p>So she had elfic blood, that was why her entering Litsifjöld had gone under the radar. And that would make all the paperwork easier.</p>
<p>On and on he went, till he got to the pond.</p>
<p>Many elves were having some fun there, like Gloria and her friends, busy with salsa-on-ice, or Michael and Sophia who were racing each other. Suzanne and Janae kept an eye on the most inexperienced and gave them pointers on their ice-skating, like Vanessa, but also Boo who was trying to learn, probably, bent on her new year resolution.</p>
<p>Yes, it takes a village. Which one could be better than this to raise Vanessa? And her wish for a family would be more than granted here.</p>
<p>Mr C spotted Fig, who was trying not to hover too much, on the opposite side of the icy surface.</p>
<p>Instinctively, she lifted her eyes. He gave her a thumbs up, inadvertently losing his balance and falling on his buttocks on the ice. She burst out laughing. He laughed, too, and many of the elves joined in.</p>
<p><em>Ouch</em>. But, what a fine day.</p>
<p>It was not just a new year: it was a whole new life.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A good, better new year to elficone.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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